Abstract

AIM: To search if bleomycin injection is a method alone or with operation fort he treatment of irresectable lymphangiomas. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 19 patients (12 boys, 7 girls) between 10/365 and 11 year-old who were brought to our clinic between January 1990-March 2009 and Bleomycin injection alone or with an operation for the treatment were evaluated retrospectively. Although total resection is the choice of treatment in our clinic. Bleomycin 0,5 m g/kg was injected primarily or after partial tumor excision in irresectable lympangiomas. Bleomycin injection continued with 4-6 week intervals until lymphangioma lost totally or got smaller enough to be extirpated without injuring the vital structures. FINDINGS: In 8 patients, partial excision was performed after Bleomycin Injection, while Bleomycin injection was enough in 11 patients. Median injection number was three in excision group, while this number was between 3 and 9 in injection alone group. Recurrence was seen in only one case (5.9%) and it was releaved after a last infection of bleomycin. Ali patients have been examined periodically. Lymphangioma lost totally or taken out totally as it got smaller approximately 3 in partial excision, and 3-9 in only Bleomycin injection. Relapse was seen in 1 patient (5,9%) and it lost after a single dose of Bleomycin. All the patients are under control. CONCLUSION: Although taking out the lesion totally is the choice of treatment, we think that Bleomycin injection can be a treatment method applied alone or with operation, if lymphangioma can not be taken out because of its near position to vital structures.